


Dares and Truths

by Formula_Tea



Series: Little Steps [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, First Kiss, Homophobia, M/M, dares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 03:13:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3794524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Formula_Tea/pseuds/Formula_Tea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A game of 21 Dares accidentally outs Rob and Felipe's relationship, and the consequences of that are not happy ones. (Same universe as Blushes Intensely, in case that wasn't clear)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dares and Truths

**Author's Note:**

> There's one, maybe two more parts of this I have planned so yep, let me know what you think. I think some of the characterisation might be off so, sorry about that. I don't think it's really a spoiler to say this isn't a happy fic. Well, I'll let you decide for yourself about that.

“One two three.”

Rob didn’t know how he ended up playing this stupid game with a bunch of idiots in the school sixth form common room…

“Four five.”

Well, he did. The reason he was sat here playing this stupid game with a bunch of idiots was the idiot sat beside him. Felipe was leaning against him, trying his best not to fall asleep. It was supposed to be a sponsored stay awake, but Felipe wasn’t so good at staying awake.

“Six seven eight.”

Of course, Rob hadn’t wanted to come to the stupid stay awake in the first place. He spent enough time with the snide comments and the quiet sniggers during the school day. Why would he want to spend an entire night with them?

“Nine.”

Felipe. That’s why.

“Ten eleven twelve.”

After a week or so of begging (or polite encouragement, as Felipe would call it), Rob had agreed to come to the stay awake. He was regretting it now.

“Thirteen fourteen fifteen.”

And why was he playing this stupid game?

“Sixteen seventeen eighteen.”

See answer to question one.

“Nineteen.”

The count was passed onto Felipe, who was pretending not to be snuggling against Rob. He rolled his eyes, having decided this wasn’t the best idea of his life, but there was no backing out of it now.

“Twenty,” he said, sleepily. He glanced over to Rob next to him. No, this definitely hadn’t been his best idea, but he wasn’t letting them tear into Rob with their immature twenty one dares game. “Twenty one,” he finished.

Somebody groaned, disappointed at the lack of an easy target. Felipe rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up a little, and took a swig from the water bottle beside him. He wasn’t sure who was even giving these dares out, not having paid enough attention.

Sleep deprivation. That would be his explanation as to why _he_ was playing this game.

“Come on then,” he called, after a lot of muttering. “Thought this was supposed to be keeping us awake. Is just putting me to sleep.”

Rob grinned, putting an arm around his boyfriend. He would never have gotten away with acting the way Felipe acted sometimes. If Rob said something like that, it would be followed by well thought out jeers and stupid comments about his reading level, but Felipe just got a roll of the eyes.

Aaron, one of their form mates, were sat directly opposite them in the circle. His eyes gleamed and a grin spread onto his face as he came up with a decent dare. He leaned over to Leah, the girl who had declared herself in charge of the game, to whisper his idea into her ear.

Felipe sighed, leaning back to whisper into Rob’s ear.

“And they call us the slow ones, hmmm?”

He grinned as he spoke and Rob still didn’t understand how everything the immature dicks said could bounce off of the little Brazilian so easily.

“Alright, we’ve got one,” Leah said, a grin on her face. Ages ago, Rob would have been confused as to why someone could be so happy and cruel at the same time, but he’d learned to recognise what the grin meant. She nodded to Aaron, who was wearing the same grin.

The boy stood, pulling the students’ questioning eyes onto him.

“This had better be a good one,” Felipe whispered into Rob’s ear again. “Is not something stupid like running around naked or something.”

“Kiss Smedley.”

“What?” Rob practically pushed Felipe away, much to the amusement to the rest of the students in the circle. “Nobody said anyone else could be involved in these dares.”

Aaron shrugged, still smiling smugly. Even if there was some rule about getting anyone else involved in the dare, Rob should have known they would have made an exception for him. He glanced over at Felipe, who was laughing too, trying to not make this out to be as big a thing as it was.

They hadn’t kissed. Not since the park at least. Rob had wanted their first proper kiss (and he was not including what happened in the park in that) to be special. To _mean_ something. He wasn’t going to let a bunch of idiots ruin that.

“I ain’t doing it,” Rob said, firmly. They couldn’t make him. They could come up with some other dare, he didn’t care. He was not going to do it.

“You’re playing this game, Smedley,” Leah said.

“I didn’t get twenty one,” Rob pointed out. Like that even fucking mattered.

“Is ok,” Felipe said, sitting up on his knees. He took off his glasses and pulled Rob’s eyes onto his own, not letting the wet blue eyes go. Felipe smiled, and it wasn’t for _them_. It wasn’t an act. It wasn’t to pretend he was ok with all this. It was for him, for Rob. It said it was ok.

“Three seconds,” Aaron said, but neither of them were paying attention.

“Just follow me, ok?” Felipe said, quiet enough for only Rob to hear. “Maybe it will help to close your eyes, no?”

Rob nodded, and he knew his making this a big deal was just making it funnier for them but he didn’t care. He wanted this to be special, and they were just ruining it.

Rob’s eyes were closed, but they flew open as soon as he felt Felipe’s warm hand against his cheek.

“Get on with it,” someone called.

“Piss off,” Rob muttered, but he was pretty sure only Felipe heard him. Felipe’s grin widened a moment before he returned his focus to the matter at hand.

“Close your eyes,” he said, and Rob obeyed, happy to pretend they were back at Felipe’s parent’s house, or the park, or _anywhere_ but here.

The first gentle pressure against his lips surprised him a little, but Rob refused to pull away, to give them something else to laugh about. He stayed still, let Felipe suck his bottom lip between his own, held the little Brazilian when he felt Felipe lean forward just a little too far and nearly topple over.

Felipe grinned against his mouth, prompting Rob to smile too and kiss him back. He almost laughed at the small squeak of surprise Felipe gave at the sudden response, taking one hand from Felipe’s waist to place it behind the Brazilian’s head.

They had definitely passed the three seconds mark when Rob eventually pulled away from Felipe, resting his forehead against the smaller boy’s.

“You’ve been practicing, haven’t you?” he said with a smirk.

“Who would I be practicing with, hmmm?” Felipe laughed.

“Shit. Massa and Smedley are gay for each other!”

Rob sighed and closed his eyes again.

“At least it get this out of the way,” Felipe said, hopefully.

“I didn’t want to get it out the way,” Rob whispered, his closed eyes keeping the tears at bay for a moment. That was such a stupid thing to do. He should have left. He should never have let Felipe do that.

“Boys?” Mr Omand, their tutor, stood just outside the circle. The look on his face was not an impressed one.

 

“She’s going to kill me,” Rob muttered, staring at the wall opposite him and watching his life flash before his eyes. It wasn’t an enjoyable viewing. Maybe it would be better over and done with.

Felipe’s hand was in his. “Maybe she will understand.”

Rob’s eyes rolled over until his boyfriend was in view.

“I thought I was the thick one,” he mumbled.

“Know that is not true,” Felipe said, gently. “And maybe my parents will be able to convince her?”

Felipe’s parents and brother were the only ones who knew about the pair of them. All three of them had been brilliant and Rob couldn’t count the number of times he’d found himself watching the Massa family enviously. He knew his mother wouldn’t be that understanding. Telling her was last on his list of things to do in life. He didn’t know what his plans for the future were but he knew they absolutely did not include her ever finding out about this.

Not that it looked like he had a choice anymore.

“Will be ok,” Felipe said, giving Rob’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I will be here. And mum and dad will be here. Will not let her hurt you.”

 

“And I’m sure you’ll understand that we cannot have this kind of behaviour happening on school grounds,” Mr Omand finished, holding out his hands and turning the conversation to the three parents that sat in the small office.

Rob’s mother sat beside him, her face completely devoid of emotion. Rob knew better than to hope she might be alright with all this. She got angry enough when she was called to the school for progress review days. Felipe’s mother on the other side of the room, looked like she was about to explode, but it was his father who spoke first.

“This kind of behaviour?” he asked. “You mean the dare game? Then where are the others? It did not sound like they were playing the game only the two of them.”

“No, not the dare game,” Omand said.

“No, because a game that lets students make fun of one another is perfectly ok,” Felipe’s father continued. “But when my son is kissing another boy, then there is problem?”

“I think you are missing the point,” Omand said.

“Oh,” Felipe’s father jumped in when Omand opened his mouth to continue. “Then what is the point?”

“We cannot have this kind of behaviour happening on school grounds,” Omand said again.

“Is ok when it is Leah Curling kissing almost every boy in the year,” Felipe muttered. “Or when Toto and Susie are showing us how far their relationship goes.”

“You know they are all told to stop any public displays of affection,” Omand said, rubbing his forehead as if the entire conversation was causing him a great deal of pain.

“And their parents are all called into school?” Felipe’s father asked.

“Of course not.”

“Then it is just because he was kissing another boy?” Felipe’s father continued. “This is what you have a problem with? Never mind that they are in a happy relationship. That they have been for months. Is not just some game.”

Rob looked up at his mother, but there was still no sign of any kind of reaction. He wasn’t sure which was worse, her screaming and shouting and telling him exactly how disappointed in him she was or this? At least the alternative meant he knew how angry she was.

“That may be the case,” Omand said. “But we cannot let this kind of thing happen.”

“They were kissing, not fucking one another,” Felipe’s mother cried, ignoring her husband trying to calm her down.

Felipe’s eyes grew wide and he didn’t know if he should laugh or not. Beside him, Rob was perfectly still, his eyes closed. This couldn’t last much longer, could it?

“No, they are happy,” Felipe’s mother said. “And it has taken them a lot of courage to even get this far and you are trying to punish them for it. Are not treating them like you have treated the other students. This is not fair. It is… are treating them badly because they are gay and it is not fair. Is…”

“Homophobic,” Felipe offered helpfully, getting a glare from his tutor.

“Yes, this is the word,” Felipe’s mother continued. “Is homophobic and is not right and I would like to speak to the head master.”

“I’m afraid the head master is not on site at the moment,” Omand said. “He won’t be on site until Monday morning.”

“Then I would like to speak to him Monday morning,” Felipe’s mother said. “First thing.”

“I will have to see what Mr Beckett has in his diary,” Omand said.

“Well, I will be here at nine o’clock,” Felipe’s mother said. “I will not be leaving until I have spoken to him about the situation and I will not be speaking about this any further tonight. Come on, Felipe. We’re leaving.”

“Mrs Massa.”

“Come on, Felipe.”

Mr Omand shook his head a little as Felipe stood. Felipe’s hand was still in Rob’s, though, and he wasn’t letting go until he knew the other boy was leaving too.

“Ms Smedley?” Omand asked, turned to Rob’s mother. “Do you have anything to say?”

“What do you expect me to say?” Rob’s mother asked quietly, and Rob knew that wasn’t a good thing. This was a loud woman, and if she was speaking this quiet it meant she was keeping something in. He turned to Felipe, not really knowing what he could do but hoping for _something_. Felipe squeezed his hand gently.

“How do you feel about the issue?” Omand asked.

“My feelings on this issue are private,” Rob’s mother said. “And I will be talking to my son about it _privately_.”

 

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?”

She’d waited until they were inside, until Rob had peeled off his coat and made to go upstairs before she even spoke. Rob didn’t look at her, didn’t even turn to face her, his hand on the banister. There were already tears in his eyes and he was not going to let her see them.

“How long has this been going on for?”

He should have known she was going to find out at some point. Prepare for this interrogation somehow. But it… it just hadn’t occurred to him. Well, he guessed that just showed how stupid he really was. Wilson could add that to the list of things to make fun of him over.

“Rob Smedley, you will look at me when I am talking to you and you will answer my questions.”

It was the first sign of anger from her and Rob cringed at it. He turned to his mother, hoping to get this out of the way as soon as possible.

“That day…” Rob began, his voice so small he could barely hear it himself. He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to keep his voice steady. “The day I stayed at Felipe’s.”

His mother just stared at him, her face frozen in shock. Rob looked quickly away, his hands screwed into fists in his blazer pockets. Why did she have to drag this out like this? Why couldn’t she get mad and scream and get it over with?

“All that time,” his mother said, eventually, her voice back to the calm quiet that made Rob shiver. “You stupid little boy.”

“It’s not that bad,” Rob began. Maybe he could salvage this. Try to convince her. _Do_ something. He couldn’t just stand here without even trying. “We just… we like each other a lot Mum and I knew you would be angry and-.”

“Angry?” his mother laughed. “You think I’m angry? I’m not angry, Rob, not at you. I’m ashamed, but I’m not angry. I know you can’t help it.”

“Help what?” Rob asked, suspiciously.

“The Massa kid tricked you,” his mother said with the same sly smile on her face as Leah and Aaron had been wearing back at school. “He knows how thick you are and he’s tricked you, and you’re too blind to see it.”

“He’s not tricked me into anything,” Rob said. “I love him and he loves me and-.”

“You think he _loves_ you,” Rob’s mother laughed again.

Rob was shaking too much to stand now and he stumbled blindly back until he was sat on the stairs, watching his mother shaking her head. He bit his tongue, his finger nails drawing blood from the palms of his hand.

“He’s using you, love,” she continued, folding her arms and leaning against the wall behind her. “Just like I told you he was back then. But no, you won’t listen to me. Keep thinking you know best, Rob, when you know _nothing_.”

“I know him,” Rob snapped. This wasn’t fair. Felipe’s parents understood, so why couldn’t she? Why couldn’t she just… just… why did she have to be like this? It wasn’t _fair_. “I know him better than you do and I know he loves me.”

“He. Is. Using. You.”

“Well, what’s he using me for then?” Rob asked. “Because it’s not for child benefit, like _someone_ who says they love me.”

The look of shock on her face stunned Rob. That hadn’t meant to be said allowed. He hadn’t meant to say that allowed and now he knew there was no going back. It was the truth. He _knew_ it was the truth. But he shouldn’t have said it.

“Mum?”

“Mum, I’m sorry.”

Rob’s mother shook her head, turning away from Rob to go into the kitchen. Rob practically jumped off of the step he was sat on to follow her.

“Mum?”

She was fumbling in one of the kitchen draws when he came in. He couldn’t tell if she was ignoring him or she just didn’t know what to say, but he didn’t like it.

“Mum, please.”

“Here,” she said, spinning around and shoving a roll of bin liners into his chest. “Get your stuff and go.”

“What?”

“Get your stuff and get out of here,” she snapped. “If you think he cares more about you than I do, go to him.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Rob tried, shuffling backwards when his mother tried to shove him out of the room. “Mum, I’m sorry. _Please_.”

The tears that had been stinging his eyes now trickled down his cheek, but she wasn’t paying any attention.

“No,” she said. “You don’t want to be here. You don’t give a shit about me or what I have to say. So why should I care? Get your stuff and go. Now.”

 

Felipe was lying in bed, playing the evening over and over again in his head. He didn’t like leaving Rob alone with his mother. She was bad enough at the best of times, and he knew Rob would be in for a screamed rant as soon as he was home. And they could have avoided it if he hadn’t gone along with the stupid dare.

God, he’d been so stupid. He had seen how nervous Rob was, and he knew what the kids at school were like. Even if Rob’s mother was ok with it – and there was no chance that would happen, but in some magical world where that could happen – they were going to have to put up with the idiots at school and he really shouldn’t have done that.

The sound of something splattering against his window drew Felipe’s attention for a couple of moments, but there was nothing there. He sighed and shut his eyes, hoping he might be able to get some sleep of some kind. At least it was Saturday tomorrow. He would get to have a lie in in the morning. It also meant he was leaving Rob alone with that woman yelling at him for the entire weekend. He’d text him in the morning, make sure he was ok. And if he wasn’t… if he wasn’t, he’d figure something out in the morning.

There was that sound again, and Felipe’s eyes flicked open. There was something outside. He sighed, pushing himself out of bed to see what it was.

Rob stood in the street, shivering against the cold and illuminated only by the street light.

Felipe stood, frozen for a moment as he tried to figure out if it were better to open the window and find out what was going on or just go down to let him in.

Rob ducked down to take another handful of stones from the drive way, then looked up at the window to see Felipe stood there. The trails his tears made shone in light of the street light and Felipe gulped, nodding, then stepped away from the window to go down stairs.

It was bad then.

Rob was waiting at the door by the time Felipe opened it, the bin bag of possessions at his feet. As soon as the door was opened, he was pulled down into a hug, almost stumbling into Felipe when he lost his balance. Felipe didn’t say anything for a couple of moments, resting his chin on Rob’s shoulder whilst the taller boy cried, mumbling something Felipe couldn’t understand.

“It’s ok,” he whispered after he’d regained the use of his voice. Rob didn’t seem to be hurt physically and he guessed that was a good thing. “Are here now. Are safe now.”

“Rob?”

Both boys looked up to find Felipe’s mother coming down the stairs in a dressing gown. Felipe stepped away from Rob, watching his mother’s eyes flick from Rob to the bag he was carrying.

“Rob, what’s happened?”

“She kicked me out.”

“Oh, dear…” Felipe’s mother brushed her son aside to pull Rob in a hug. “Oh Rob dear, you’re freezing. Come inside. Felipe, go and make some of the drink that Rob likes.”

“It’s just tea, mum,” Felipe said.

“Go and make some,” Felipe’s mother hissed, smoothing Rob’s hair down. “Come inside. We’ll get you some of the drink.”

“’m sorry,” Rob mumbled, letting Felipe’s mother pull him inside and out of the cold. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Nonsense,” Felipe’s mother said sitting with him on the sofa. “Have told you often enough that you are always welcome here. And if your mother does not want her beautiful, clever, charming son, then I will have him. God knows I need one.”

“Thank you,” Felipe called in sarcastically from the kitchen.

Rob gave a shaky laugh, wiping his eyes on the cuff of his coat. Felipe’s mother tutted, taking a tissue from her dressing gown pocket and handed it to him.

“Thank you,” he whispered, smiling again when Felipe came into the room with a cup of tea.

“Go and set up the air bed,” Felipe’s mother told him.

“He can stay in my bed,” Felipe said.

“Yes, and you can stay on the air bed,” his mother said. “Dudu says you sleep like a star fish. Am not putting poor Rob through that as well. Go and set up the air bed.”

Felipe rolled his eyes but did as his mother told him to.

Rob lifted the mug to his face. It was still too hot to drink, but the warmth in his fingers was something to be grateful for.

“Your things?” Felipe’s mother said, nodding to the bin bag he’d left in the hall. “What did you bring?”

“Just clothes, school stuff, books…”

He hadn’t really been able to think when she’d been yelling at him. He didn’t know how long he was going to be here, if this was for good or anything, so he’d just grabbed the first things to hand.

“Alright then,” Felipe’s mother said. “So you have enough for a while? You can stay here as long as you need to. You know that, don’t you?”

Rob smiled and nodded, taking the first sip of the tea. He was ok here. Maybe they would be able to sort things out. Maybe this wasn’t as bad as he thought it was.


End file.
